Liverpool thrash Huddersfield to regain top spot

Liverpool have regained top spot in the Premier League table courtesy of a convincing 5-0 thrashing of relegated Huddersfield Town on Friday night at the Anfield Stadium.

The Reds broke the deadlock inside the first 15 seconds as Naby Keita gave them the perfect start to the match, and they were three goals to the good by half time with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah both getting in on the act.

Mane and Salah then added another goal apiece in the second half as the Liverpool duo moved clear in the Golden Boot race, wrapping up a 10th consecutive win which puts the pressure back on Manchester City ahead of their trip to Burnley on Sunday.

With the destination of the title still out of their control courtesy of Man City’s midweek derby win at Old Trafford, Liverpool knew that only victory would do to pile the pressure back on the champions and they wasted no time in setting themselves on course for the three points.

Indeed, Keita’s opener was Liverpool’s fastest ever goal in the Premier League era, arriving after only 15 seconds when the midfielder caught Jon Gorenc Stankovic in possession before receiving the ball back from Mohamed Salah and picking out the bottom corner.

It was also the Reds’ 100th goal across all competitions this season.

Virgil Van Dijk was involved in the second as he carried the ball out of defence before giving it to Andrew Robertson, whose cross was perfect for Mane to glance home his first of the night.

The hosts make it three before the interval, as Salah raced on to a long pass forward from Trent Alexander-Arnold and lifted his finish over Burnley goalkeeper who had come racing off his line to try to sweep up the danger.

It was a landmark goal for the Egyptian on his 100th appearance for the club as he became only the third Liverpool player to score 20 or more goals in back-to-back Premier League seasons and the first man to reach that landmark in this term’s race for the Golden Boot.

The fourth goal arrived in the 66th minute as Mane joined Salah on 20 league goals for the season with another header, this time latching on to Jordan Henderson’s delivery and putting his finish across goal into the far corner.

Salah rounded off the scoring with a history-making finish, tapping home a low Robertson cross for his 69th Liverpool goal – more than any other player has managed in their first 100 games for the club.